Justice

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet work to bring loving unity to a divided world.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and associates educate, advocate, and take action to promote social justice. Our work is rooted in the gospel call to social justice and the struggle to be prophetic signs of unity in our world.

A Mission of Love. A Vision of Unity.

At our beginning, the Sisters of St. Joseph were known as the “Congregation of the Great Love of God.” This love is at the heart of Jesus’ teaching as he notes the greatest of commandments to be, “love the Lord your God with all your heart” and “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:36-39).

The Sisters of St. Joseph have sought to make that love visible for 368 years, “always moving toward profound love of God and love of neighbor without distinction.” This love calls for a unity of all people and of all creation. Jesus’ great prayer for his followers, “that they all may be one,” (John 17:21) is the root of our work for loving unity.

Therefore, we work to achieve unity of neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God so that all may be one. Whatever we do to bring this understanding of oneness about is our work of justice.

Responding to the Needs of the Times

Since our founding in 1650, the Sisters of St. Joseph have been called to respond to the needs of the times, a tradition that we continue to embrace today. Sisters of St. Joseph, along with our associates and partners, serve individuals and speak out on the unjust systems that affect them such as: immigration, prison ministry, socially responsible investing, human trafficking, women’s issues, healthcare, LGBTQ issues, poverty, and more.

Collaboration for Change

We believe that the mission of Jesus calls us to collaborate with others to work for justice. To effect systemic change, we widen our networks with others.

To further the unity we seek, the Sisters of St. Joseph work individually and together, joining with local, national and international groups to address issues that demean or deny people their human dignity and that force those who are marginalized to bear the burden of unjust systems. To sustain, enhance, and ensure needs are identified and addressed and that works of justice are sustained, we collaborate with our associates and others who hold similar values to provide direct service and advocacy.

These three concerns especially guide our justice work:

Everything is Connected: Care for Creation

As Sisters of St. Joseph, connectedness and relationship are at the heart of who we are. Foundational to our justice work is the belief that everything is interconnected and that creation is a sacred trust given to the whole Earth community. We recognize that all aspects of justice and survival intertwine with all creation – nature, humanity and organizations. We commit, individually and communally, to recognizing how our decisions impact the Earth community; to raising our awareness and changing behaviors; to acting with urgency to protect Earth’s stability and integrity; and to celebrating her beauty wherever we are. See our Communion within the Earth Community resources

Foundational to the principles of Catholic social teaching is our belief in the sanctity of human life and the inherent dignity of the human person. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers; we are one human family. We are in solidarity with one another. In our Catholic Social Teaching, that means loving our neighbor “without distinction” has global dimensions. In our circle, everyone is included.

Everyone is Sacred: Promoting Peace and Nonviolence

Because we are all one, what hurts one of us hurts all of us. The Sisters of St. Joseph work to further peace and seek ways of nonviolence by being women of relationship, respecting one another and recognizing the human dignity of all. We collaborate with others who are in pursuit of peace.